In what cases does thrush appear in women? Internal factors of the disease. Active phase of development of thrush

What is thrush and why does it develop? Classification of candidiasis and symptoms at different stages. Diagnosis of the disease, the possibility of infection from a sexual partner. Psychological causes of the disease.

The content of the article:

Thrush is a fungal disease caused by the increased activity of Candida albicans, a single-celled microorganism. The second name of the disease is candidiasis, after the name of the opportunistic culture. Fungal cells are very small - no more than 10 microns, round, quickly adapt to unfavorable conditions, but the optimal environment for their rapid growth is +21-37 degrees Celsius and high humidity. Thrush is more often diagnosed in women against the background of a decrease in the body’s immune status.

Description and mechanism of development of thrush

The vaginal mucosa is also populated by various types of bacteria - beneficial and opportunistic, including Candida. In a healthy woman, their activity is balanced by beneficial microorganisms - in particular, in the vagina these are bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, gram-positive Dederlein bacilli.

The proportions of beneficial and opportunistic flora are 99/1%. Thanks to the vital activity of lactobacilli, a normal acid-base balance is maintained - 3.8-4.5 pH.

If the balance is disturbed, lactobacilli show increased activity, acidity increases, the indicator shifts below 3.8 pH, then vaginal dysbiosis develops, that is, thrush occurs in women.

Classification of the disease "thrush"

According to the severity of the disease, thrush is differentiated as follows:

• Superficial. The fungus develops on the vaginal mucosa. If treatment is started at this stage, its activity can be stopped fairly quickly.
• Systemic. Not only the vaginal mucosa is affected, but also the epithelial layer. Opportunistic microorganisms, rising upward from the vagina, infect the fallopian tubes and uterus. Fungal colonies colonize the ovaries and fallopian tubes from the inside, which prevents the maturation of a viable egg. If, nevertheless, the egg manages to leave the follicle, its progress into the uterus is blocked. Implantation of the fertilized egg into the uterus becomes difficult, and infertility develops.
• Sepsis. This is the most dangerous consequence of thrush. The fungus enters the bloodstream and can colonize internal organs and systems, disrupting functions and provoking an acute inflammatory process. Sepsis can be fatal.

According to the forms of candidiasis, the classification is as follows:

1. Spicy. Appears against a background of decreased immunity and causes characteristic symptoms.
2. Subacute. The fungus is in a persistent stage, symptoms are not expressed. Combined with exacerbation of general diseases. During menstruation, the acidity of the vagina decreases, and signs of the disease, even if present, disappear.
3. Chronic. Symptoms are temporarily suppressed, but then reappear. The main reason is inadequate treatment.
4. Candida carrier. A fungal culture is isolated in tests, but there are no signs of disease. In this case, opportunistic microorganisms are transmitted through sexual and household contact.

• Urogenital - the mucous membrane of the vagina and vulva, the genitourinary system are affected;
• Visceral - the fungus penetrates the bloodstream to the internal organs, affecting the respiratory, nervous and digestive systems.

Causes of thrush in women

Opportunistic microorganisms acquire pathogenic properties against the background of certain factors. The appearance of thrush in women is influenced by physiological changes caused by internal and external influences, and psychomatic factors.

Physiological causes of thrush

1. Changes in hormonal levels. The culture is activated when girls grow up and during the transition to menopause, against the background of unstable functioning of the secretory glands. The acid-base balance of the skin and vaginal mucosa deviates in the acidic direction, which allows the fungus to multiply uncontrollably.
2. Treatment with hormonal drugs. High estrogen content disrupts the composition of microflora. The types of drug exposure - general or local action - do not matter.
3. Misuse of phytoestrogens. It has been scientifically proven that the development of candidiasis is caused by treatment with anti-inflammatory infusions of knotweed or sage.
4. Disruption of the endocrine system, including diabetes mellitus. An increase in sugar in the patient’s urine creates a favorable environment for Candida activity.
5. Taking antibiotics. Antibiotics suppress the activity of beneficial bacteria, and candidiasis recurs. This clinical picture develops with each subsequent treatment with antibacterial agents, regardless of the localization of exposure - general, oral, or local.

Psychomatic causes of thrush

The following factors lead to emotional instability and a decrease in local immunity:

• Lack of joy in intimacy or chronic sexual dissatisfaction. When preparing for sexual intercourse, a woman cannot tune in to intimacy; vaginal lubrication is not produced. During coitus, the insufficiently prepared mucous membrane is injured, and the activity of opportunistic microorganisms increases. In this case, there is a risk of developing inflammatory processes.
• Dissatisfaction with yourself. The woman doesn’t love herself, is embarrassed by her body, it seems to her that the man sees this too and agrees to make contact with her for his own benefit or “out of pity.” Sexual intercourse does not bring joy and satisfaction. The consequences of this condition have already been described.
• Disgust towards genitals. This feeling is usually instilled by parents from childhood. How can you physiologically prepare for intimacy if the very awareness of touching someone else’s and your own genitals causes nausea?
• Fear of being betrayed and inability to receive pleasure. Leads to enslavement not only during sex, but also during normal communication. Not only local, but also general immunity suffers from constant stress.

If the anticipation of sexual intercourse causes emotional suffering, exacerbation of thrush cannot be prevented.

The main symptoms of thrush in a woman

Symptoms of thrush may include:

• An increase in the volume of natural vaginal discharge at night, after urination, irritation from clothing, after water procedures using hygiene products, after coitus.
• Changes in the smell and color of the discharge: the smell may become sour and sweetish, the color may be whitish, yellowish. Heterogeneity of consistency, the appearance of lumps similar to sour milk or cottage cheese, appear only at the acute stage.
• The labia swell, the skin on them becomes bright red, and touching is painful.
• Painful frequent urination.
• Itching and burning in the vaginal and vulvar areas, intensifying during or after sexual intercourse.
• Burning in the urethra and discharge during urination of a purulent nature - the women's urethra is short and wide (unlike men's), so microorganisms quickly penetrate the bladder.
• Abundant cheesy discharge and a gray-whitish coating, when trying to get rid of it using mechanical action, pinpoint damage to the vessels remains on the mucous membrane.

With a sluggish course of thrush, the symptoms are not expressed - only 1-2 of the listed symptoms appear. This is the most dangerous: a woman can treat cystitis, irritation of the vulva with the help of various baths, which causes temporary improvement or, conversely, aggravates the situation. For example, to eliminate cystitis, antibiotics are used, which creates favorable conditions for Candida, and intestinal dysbiosis is added to vaginal dysbiosis.

In the chronic course of the disease and in the subacute form, Candida completely destroys all lactobacilli. The vaginal mucosa dries out, becomes hot to the touch, dry, like tissue paper. At the slightest mechanical impact, its surface cracks, wears off, bleeds, and bubbles appear, as with dropsy. Atrophy of the surface of the vulva and at the entrance to the vagina begins, and areas of necrosis may appear. Discharge appears, but it is scanty, whitish in color, and touching the skin intensifies the burning sensation. At this stage, complications develop: the inflammatory process spreads to the anus and moves upward to the intestines.

It is very difficult to cure candidiasis at this stage. Even if it is possible to muffle the painful symptoms, the disease usually recurs a week before menstruation.

Sex life does not bring pleasure - libido decreases, which affects family relationships, they deteriorate sharply.

Can you get thrush from your partner?

However, against the background of decreased immunity, thrush in men can still develop, but the symptoms are usually vague. It is quite possible to become infected from such a man.

But there is another option: after sexual intercourse with healthy partners, Candida is activated in a woman. This is explained in different ways: physiological discrepancy, aggressive action of foreign microflora and psychomatic reasons.

Features of diagnosing candidiasis

As already mentioned, thrush can be a concomitant disease with sexually transmitted infections, and they are also detected using a smear. In this case, complex treatment is needed. It is impossible to draw up a therapeutic regimen that combines antibacterial and antifungal drugs without medical education.

In order for the smear readings to be reliable, the day before the examination you should:

1. Avoid douching;
2. Do not use creams or tablets that are used to relieve symptoms;
3. Refrain from sexual relations.

The results of bacterial sowing can be found out the very next day; the culture matures quite quickly.

Currently, you can purchase tests for detecting candidiasis at the pharmacy - “Vinalight” or “Frautest”. A blue line on the test strip indicates the development of thrush. But since it is impossible to identify concomitant diseases using the test, its use is a preliminary diagnosis. To confirm the diagnosis, you need to visit a gynecologist and take a smear.

What is thrush - watch the video:

(vaginal candidiasis) is a fungal infection of the vaginal mucosa. Manifestations of thrush include itching and burning in the vulva, copious curdled discharge, pain during urination and sexual intercourse. It is possible for a fungal infection to spread in the body and become a generalized form, disrupting the normal course of pregnancy and childbirth, and infecting the fetus. Thrush is diagnosed according to a gynecological examination, colposcopy, microscopic and bacteriological examination of a smear. Treatment of thrush is carried out with local and systemic antifungal drugs.

General information

Thrush is an inflammatory lesion of the vaginal mucosa caused by fungi of the genus Candida. It is characterized by burning and itching in the vagina, white cheesy discharge. Thrush is also called neonatal candidiasis, most often manifesting as oral candidiasis. Thrush is diagnosed by detecting the fungus through microscopy and culture of vaginal smears. To exclude concomitant STIs, ELISA, RIF and PCR studies are performed. Chronic recurrent thrush is an indication for a complete examination of the patient in order to identify those disorders in the body that could cause such a course of thrush. Treatment is carried out by local and general use of antimycotic drugs.

Yeast-like fungi Candida, which provoke the development of thrush, are opportunistic flora of the vagina of most women and do not cause any pathological symptoms. Therefore, unlike classic STIs, thrush cannot be 100% classified as a sexually transmitted disease, although Candida fungi can be transmitted from sexual partners. Clinical gynecology deals with the diagnosis and treatment of candidiasis due to the similarity of its clinical picture with sexually transmitted infections and the frequent cases of a combination of these diseases.

Causes of thrush

The development of thrush is caused by various factors that disrupt the healthy microflora of the vagina. As a result, there is a decrease in the number of beneficial bacteria that normally inhibit the growth of fungal flora, and intensive proliferation of fungi. Active growth of fungi leads to the manifestation of their pathogenic properties with the appearance of inflammatory changes in the vaginal mucosa such as colpitis or vaginitis.

Violation of the normal ratio of microorganisms in the vagina with the development of thrush can be caused by treatment with cytostatics and other immunosuppressants, the use of hormonal contraception, decreased immunity due to somatic diseases (HIV, chronic bronchitis, tonsillitis, chronic pyelonephritis, cirrhosis of the liver, etc.), hormonal abnormalities ( diabetes mellitus, ovarian dysfunction, menopause, hypothyroidism, obesity), anorexia, pregnancy, stressful situations, sudden climate change.

Long-term or frequent antibiotic therapy, the use of antibacterial drugs without additional probiotics primarily cause intestinal dysbiosis. Since the intestines are a reservoir of Candida fungi, its diseases (dysbacteriosis, colitis, etc.) lead to the spread of Candida to other organs and primarily to the vagina with the development of thrush.

Various local factors can have an adverse effect on the vaginal biocenosis with the appearance of thrush: poor personal hygiene, irregular change of pads and vaginal tampons, the use of local contraceptives, the use of deodorized pads and scented colored toilet paper, wearing synthetic underwear. Frequent use of antibacterial products (antibacterial soap, intimate gel, vaginal spray) for hygienic purposes often leads to a decrease in local natural immunity and can provoke the occurrence of thrush.

Some women experience thrush after wearing wet underwear, visiting a pool or swimming in open water. This is due to the beneficial effect of a humid environment on the vital activity of Candida fungi. Poor diet with excess consumption of sweets can also contribute to the development of thrush.

Newborns born to mothers with thrush may develop thrush as a result of infection during the fetal period or passage through the birth canal. The development of thrush in such cases is facilitated by the weakened state of the child’s body due to birth trauma, premature birth, hemolytic disease, intrauterine hypoxia, and asphyxia of the newborn.

Symptoms of thrush

Thrush is manifested by severe burning and itching in the area of ​​the external genitalia and vagina. These symptoms are accompanied by the appearance of a white discharge characteristic of candidiasis. Thrush is characterized by a heterogeneous consistency of discharge with small lumps resembling grains of cottage cheese. The discharge may have a sour odor. Many women suffering from thrush note an increase in the amount of discharge after sexual intercourse, water procedures, and at night. Redness of the labia minora is often observed, and sometimes swelling of the labia minora and majora is observed, which can reach the anus. Swelling and inflammatory changes in the vaginal mucosa during thrush lead to pain during sexual intercourse. There may be painful urination.

Quite often there is an erased course of thrush, when its clinical manifestations are mild or only one of the indicated symptoms is present. Symptoms of thrush can spontaneously resolve with the appearance of menstrual flow, since during this period the vaginal environment shifts to an alkaline side, less favorable for fungi. However, thrush can also become chronic. Its relapses, as a rule, occur at least 4 times a year and usually occur a week before the start of menstruation. Chronic thrush is much more difficult to treat and can lead to complications. A combination of thrush with other infectious lesions of the vagina (ureaplasmosis, chlamydia, genital herpes, etc.) is possible.

The most common manifestation of thrush in newborns is candidiasis of the gums (gingivitis), soft palate, buccal mucosa (stomatitis) and tongue (glossitis). It is manifested by the appearance of areas or spots covered with a white coating on the mucous membrane. When the plaque is removed, the red and inflamed mucous membrane underneath is exposed. A newborn suffering from thrush is restless, often cries, sucks poorly and may refuse to breastfeed. Less commonly, neonatal thrush manifests itself in the form of candidal conjunctivitis. The consequence of intrauterine infection can be pneumonia caused by fungi.

Complications of thrush

Chronic thrush can cause a number of complications. Primarily, they are caused by the spread of fungal infection to structures located near the vagina: the cervix with the development of cervicitis, the urethra with the development of urethritis, and the bladder with the development of cystitis. The combination of thrush with other STIs with a long-term recurrent course can lead to the development of infertility in women.

Diagnosis of thrush

As a rule, patients with symptoms of thrush consult a gynecologist. The doctor conducts an examination on the chair and colposcopy, takes smears from the mucous membrane of the cervix and vagina. Microscopic examination of smears for thrush reveals the presence of fungal mycelium in the preparation. This is a quick research method, but it does not provide accurate information about what type of fungus caused the disease. To answer this question, a smear is cultured on special nutrient media, followed by a study of the grown colonies and determination of the susceptibility of the isolated Candida fungi to antimycotic drugs. In this case, the quantitative characteristics of the identified Candida colonies are taken into account, since their small number is normal for a healthy vaginal microflora.

Clinical observations show that thrush quite often occurs against the background of other sexually transmitted infections and can “mask” their presence. Therefore, if thrush is detected, it is advisable to additionally consult a venereologist and undergo testing for STIs. Typically, complex PCR diagnostics are used, which, if necessary, can be supplemented by ELISA and RIF.

Since the development of thrush is usually associated with certain disorders occurring in the body, when it is detected, a complete examination of the woman is necessary. This is especially true in cases where thrush does not respond well to treatment or takes a chronic course. Thrush is often the first symptom of diabetes. Therefore, a woman needs to take a blood test for sugar and, if an increase is detected, contact an endocrinologist. An examination by a gastroenterologist is also recommended: analysis for dysbacteriosis, coprogram, gastroscopy, radiography of the stomach, ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, irrigoscopy, X-ray examination of the small intestine.

If complications of thrush develop in the urinary tract, it is necessary to consult a urologist, examine urine and smear from the urethra, Zimnitsky's test, and ultrasound of the bladder. Differential diagnosis of thrush should be made with bacterial vaginosis, gonorrhea, genital herpes, and trichomoniasis.

Treatment of thrush

Local treatment of thrush can be carried out in case of its primary occurrence and uncomplicated course. It is carried out with vaginal suppositories or tablets containing antifungal drugs: miconazole, clotrimazole, isoconazole, natamycin. Treatment of acute thrush lasts from 1 day to a week, depending on the drug prescribed. Its effectiveness reaches 80-90%. During treatment, it is necessary to carefully observe intimate hygiene and abstain from sexual intercourse.

Broad-spectrum vaginal preparations containing nystatin should not be used in the local treatment of thrush. They suppress the beneficial microflora of the vagina and often lead to the development of gardnerellosis. For mild thrush, local treatment can be replaced with a single dose of fluconazole. The disappearance of thrush symptoms is not always a sign of cure. After treatment, a repeat examination of the vaginal smear is necessary.

In case of insufficient effectiveness of local therapy or chronic thrush, systemic oral administration of antifungal drugs is indicated. Fluconazole is most often used for this purpose. After antifungal therapy, it is necessary to restore healthy vaginal microflora. For this purpose, eubiotics are prescribed. However, their use is advisable only after laboratory confirmed elimination of candidiasis.

Treatment of chronic thrush can last several months. It should include therapy for concomitant diseases, correction of intestinal dysbiosis, restoratives, exclusion of provoking factors (taking antibiotics, oral contraceptives, etc.). Physiotherapeutic methods are widely used in the treatment of recurrent thrush: SMT, magnetic therapy, electrophoresis, laser therapy, darsonvalization.

Treatment of thrush in newborns in most cases is carried out by local treatment of the oral cavity with a solution of chlorhexidine or sodium bicarbonate. General antifungal therapy is used only in complicated cases.

Treatment of thrush in pregnant women

Thrush occurs in more than half of pregnant women. Its treatment requires an integrated approach, taking into account the contraindications that exist during pregnancy. It is important to identify diseases and pathological conditions that can provoke thrush. In pregnant women, thrush is treated mainly with local remedies. Most often these are suppositories with miconazole or clotrimazole. If systemic antifungal therapy for thrush in pregnant women is necessary, natamycin can be used, since it does not have an embryotoxic effect.

During pregnancy, it is possible to use traditional methods of treating thrush. These include washing with a decoction of oak bark, calendula or soda solution, soda-iodine baths, etc. These methods are weakly effective in completely curing thrush, but can help relieve its symptoms during pregnancy.

Prevention of thrush

Prevention of thrush includes adequate antibiotic therapy along with the mandatory administration of probiotics; timely and correct treatment of chronic diseases, STIs, hormonal disorders; maintaining intimate hygiene; wearing cotton underwear. You should avoid the use of hygiene and intravaginal products that can change the pH of the vagina from the acidic side or cause an imbalance in its microflora. To prevent thrush from developing from improper use of tampons and pads, women should remember that they need to be changed every 3-4 hours. Women whose thrush is caused by a humid environment should dry themselves thoroughly after swimming, avoid wearing a wet swimsuit, and use a spare dry swimsuit when relaxing on a pond.

Prevention of thrush in newborns is facilitated by a complete examination of women when planning pregnancy, early detection and treatment of thrush in pregnant women.

Thrush is an infectious disease caused by the yeast fungus Candida albicans. A small number of these microorganisms are present in each of us. The immune system prevents the growth of fungus. When immunity decreases, the fungus begins to actively multiply, symptoms of thrush appear and the inflammatory process begins.

Anyone can get candidiasis, regardless of age and gender.

The symptoms of thrush in women are similar to the symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases, but thrush has nothing to do with venereology. A woman can get sick regardless of age and whether she has had sexual intercourse. Even newborns get thrush.

Almost every woman has encountered the problem of vaginal candidiasis. Thrush in women occurs with characteristic symptoms and requires treatment. The acidic environment of the vagina and weakened immunity are two factors, the combination of which creates ideal conditions for fungus.

The reasons for the active growth of fungus in women are varied.

Weakened immunity. The body's resistance may decrease due to:

• chronic diseases;
• sudden climate change;
• stress.

Taking antibacterial drugs. Antibiotics destroy not only pathogenic microorganisms, but also lactic acid bacteria that maintain healthy vaginal flora.

Failure to comply with intimate hygiene rules.

Hormonal disorders. Changes in a woman's hormonal levels often occur while taking oral contraceptives or during pregnancy.

Diabetes. Increased sugar content in urine leads to overoxidation of the vaginal microflora. Therefore, diabetic patients often complain of itching and burning in the perineum.

Venereal diseases. Often thrush is a companion to sexually transmitted diseases. Therefore, treatment of trichomoniasis, chlamydia, gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted diseases is necessarily accompanied by antifungal therapy.

Allergy. There are cases when women prone to allergies develop candidiasis as a result of the influence of various allergens on the body. As long as the allergen remains in the body, it will provoke thrush. Allergic-type yeast infections respond well to antihistamines.

Symptoms of thrush in women

Vaginal candidiasis has the following characteristic symptoms:

1. Inflammation of the vaginal mucosa. The external and internal genital organs become red and swollen. The mucous membrane becomes covered with microcracks, which are irritated by urine and cause discomfort.
2. Itching and burning. Accompanied by painful urination. These symptoms are especially worse at night.
3. Curd-like flaky discharge. Not only the consistency of the discharge changes, but also its volume.
4. Vaginal dryness.

The initial stage of candidiasis rarely has pronounced symptoms. In addition, the intensity of the symptoms of thrush depends on the causes of the disease.

At first, patients are bothered by whitish mucous discharge and some discomfort in the perineum. Gradually, the amount of discharge increases, they become more and more like curdled flakes, and the unpleasant sensations develop into pain.

But there are cases of asymptomatic and mild candidiasis. In this case, the woman often postpones visiting the doctor and is late with treatment.

The acute course of the disease lasts about two weeks. After this, thrush becomes chronic. With this course of the disease, an exacerbation occurs a week before menstruation. After menstruation, symptoms disappear almost completely.

Thrush discharge does not have a specific odor. But if candidiasis appears as a result of a disease, gonorrhea or, the discharge becomes purulent and acquires a yellowish tint.

When breastfeeding, the symptoms of thrush are the same, but the danger lies in the infection spreading to the nipples. Candidiasis affects the milk ducts. During feeding, the woman experiences unbearable pain and itching. Cracks and blisters appear on the nipples, they swell and become covered with a white coating.

Diagnosis of thrush in women

The disease is diagnosed as follows:

• examination by a gynecologist of a patient on a chair;
• laboratory examination of a vaginal smear;
• sowing.

The normal content of candida in a smear is 104 CFU/ml. An increase in this indicator indicates the development of thrush.

If characteristic signs indicating the occurrence of a disease against the background of a sexually transmitted disease are identified, it is necessary to undergo examination by a venereologist.

In cases where thrush occurs with complications, the patient is referred to a urologist.

Thrush in children

Children are susceptible to Candida fungus from birth. A white coating appears in the baby’s mouth, which over time becomes yellowish and gray.

Do not delay visiting the doctor if you notice symptoms of thrush in your child.

Candidiasis in an infant can occur as a result of frequent regurgitation. An acidic environment forms in the child’s mouth, which promotes the active growth of fungus.

Thrush in a newborn can also be caused by:

• prematurity;
• frequent illnesses;
• antibiotic treatment;
• teething;
• poorly washed toys, insufficient disinfection of dishes and pacifiers.

White plaque on the oral mucosa is the first sign of candidiasis. In newborns, the symptoms of thrush are accompanied by a refusal to eat, the baby becomes capricious and sleeps poorly. Gradually the coating becomes yellowish and gray.

Treatment of children is carried out only with antifungal drugs (for example, Candide). Treatment is supplemented with external means: wiping the child’s mouth with diluted aloe juice or a solution of baking soda.

Treatment of thrush

For mild forms of thrush, local treatment is sufficient, since antifungal drugs have a toxic effect on the kidneys and liver.

A simple form of candidiasis can be eliminated with various vaginal tablets or suppositories based on antifungal drugs:

• Clotrimazole (Canesten);
• Klion-D 100;
• Lomexin;
• Wind hall;
• Ketoconazole;
• Mycozoral;
• Brizoral;
• Nizoral,
• Oronazole.

Treatment of acute thrush can last up to 7 days depending on the drug chosen. During treatment, the woman is advised to abstain from sex.

Chronic thrush. This form is characterized by exacerbation of the disease more often than once every three months. In the chronic form, the patient, in addition to local therapy, is prescribed antifungal drugs.

If another vaginal infection (venereal disease) is detected, Neo-Penotran Forte suppositories are added to this course of treatment.

After completing the course, it is necessary to carry out eubiotic therapy to help restore healthy vaginal microflora.

No less effective is the treatment of chronic thrush using physiotherapy:

• laser therapy;
• magnetic therapy;
• treatment with the drug Darsonval;
• electrophoresis;

In the initial form of chronic thrush, a woman is prescribed the following treatment:

1. Clotrimazole 200 mg. 1 candle at night for 10 days or 2 weeks.
2. Fluconazole. Once, 1 tablet.
3. Itraconazole 200 mg, one tablet per day for a week.

Maintenance therapy:

1. Clotrimazole 500 mg once a week, 1 suppository vaginally, for six months.
2. Itraconazole 200 mg for six months, once a month, take 1 tablet in the morning and evening.

Often, along with antifungal therapy, the doctor may recommend treating thrush with folk remedies. Traditional methods increase the effectiveness of treatment.

Effective folk recipes:

• take eucalyptus tincture 15–30 drops 3 times a day;
• radiola extract 20 drops 3 times a day;
• a glass of carrot juice on an empty stomach can stimulate the immune system and increase the effectiveness of treatment;
• teas made from rose hips, fruits and shoots of currants, rowan, hawthorn and raspberries can strengthen the immune system and help the body cope with infection;
• douching with a decoction of oak, sage or chamomile bark;
• vaginal tampons soaked in a concentrated infusion of the above herbs and fruits.

What should you not do if you have thrush?

You cannot start treatment after reading magazines and forums. Self-medication leads to the fact that the acute form of thrush develops into a chronic form. A doctor's consultation is required.

When treating thrush, the patient should:

• refuse tight synthetic underwear;
• maintain intimate hygiene (timely change of tampons, underwear, pads, regular washing of the perineum);
• reduce the consumption of sweets and yeast-based flour products to a minimum;
• eliminate the consumption of alcoholic beverages;
• exclude dishes with vinegar from the diet;
• abstain from sex;
• Avoid douching during menstruation and pregnancy.

Although thrush is not a sexually transmitted disease, treatment is necessary for both sexual partners.

Relapse Prevention

In Belgium, studies were carried out on women with recurrent candidiasis. Each of them was protected from one or another disease-provoking factor for 1-2 months: tight trousers, sanitary pads with fragrances, etc.

If no improvements were observed, they moved on to restrictions in another area. As a result, an improvement was noted in the condition of patients who changed certain habits (for example, stopping use or changing the drug).

In order to prevent relapses of the disease, a number of preventive measures must be followed.

Treatment and preventive measures:

• timely identification of the causes of the disease;
• caution in the use of antibiotics, cytostatics and glucocorticosteroids (take only as prescribed by a doctor);
• Take medications strictly according to the regimen prescribed by your doctor.

Prevention in the field of hygiene:

• use natural (without fragrances!) soap, do not wash yourself too often;
• frequent change of pads during menstruation;
• use soft toilet paper (it is less irritating to the mucous membranes).

General prevention:

• it is important to protect yourself from stress (useful: yoga, meditation);
• take breaks during sedentary work;
• leisure;
• good sleep;
• spend as much time as possible outdoors;
• give preference to cotton underwear;
• do not wear clothes that are too tight;
• You should not be on the beach in a wet swimsuit. Wet swimming trunks are an excellent environment for fungi.

Thrush is also called candidiasis. And this applies fungal infection to those that arise against the background of any problems in the body. And while the problems are not eliminated, they are unpleasant thrush symptoms may appear again and again, even if the treatment was chosen correctly. Moreover, the disease is caused not by one fungus, but by many varieties. mushrooms of the genuscandida(there are about 155 species). The most common ones are: candidaalbicans. Ordinary medical test for candidiasis reveals their presence. They may be present in the body in small quantities. However, unpleasant symptoms appear when their number increases significantly. And if it arises chronic thrush, then we need to deal with the disease more thoroughly. So, what factors can most often lead to its appearance?




Nutrition

Food, especially sweet food, as well as excess flour in the diet, changes the acidity of the vaginal environment. Due to poor nutrition, problems with the gastrointestinal tract first arise, then the intestinal microflora changes, after which arises, and then candidiasis. Accordingly, in addition to treatment, you need to limit the consumption of sweet, salty and smoked foods and follow a special diet.




Hormones

If thrush is getting worse in the second half of the cycle, the cause of candidiasis is most likely hormones. The fact is that after ovulation The concentration of progesterone increases and overall immunity decreases slightly. The same thing can happen during pregnancy. The vaginal microflora changes, and candida fungi may become active. It’s the same story with oral contraceptives: they also affect our immunity. If a woman is completely healthy, she will not even notice any changes. But if some kind of chronic disease “lives” inside, then taking OK can become an impetus for the manifestation symptoms of candidiasis. Moreover, provoke exacerbation of thrush Some endocrine diseases, for example, diabetes mellitus, may also occur.




Antibiotics

They save us not only from pathogenic bacteria, but also from beneficial microflora necessary for the body - lactobacilli, which live in the intestines and vagina. It is these microbes that control the growth of candida fungi. And when there is not enough lactobacilli in the body, harmful fungi begin to multiply in huge quantities. Also, as in the previous case, when taking antibiotics, immunity decreases, and this also provokes manifestation of thrush.




Incorrect treatment

Candidiasis often worsens after sexual intercourse. In this case, thrush is simply the result of microflora exchange. Sometimes men are carriers of the fungus, but they don’t even know it. For this reason, a woman can treat candidiasis many times, but if her partner is not treated, the symptoms of thrush return again and again.